


Matchboxes and Candles

by rancheel



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: F/M, Rent AU, also some language, and from sinful flirting you could say, drug mentions??, help me, i mean it says stash and stuff so just incase, i'm literally a mess that loves theatre, look i'm going down a rent hole, will this be a huge youtuber/musical mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-11-29 19:46:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11447811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rancheel/pseuds/rancheel
Summary: Early on in Mark’s youtube career he had decided he was going to take a small break and visit a pal that lived in New York. He didn’t plan well considering it’s winter and the cable blows.





	Matchboxes and Candles

**Author's Note:**

> here i am, new fandom, new fic, new place that isn't tumblr. my infamous rent mark au has come to light originally on my tumblr, and here it is on ao3. i’d like to say i did it justice. i probably didn’t. in this, i’ve made mark around say twenty-three. i know it’s not accurate to his youtube career but just go with it for me. this probably sucks a lot, it’s really a mix of my interpretation and based on the broadway shots. i tried, okay. (if you wanna see the other few works on my tumblr, it's https://adolescenthowell.tumblr.com/ so enjoy!)

What possessed Mark to visit his friend in New York was beyond him. He may have had a break from his little youtube career he’s building, but he could have booked a hotel. But instead he decided to stay in some shitty complex with a good buddy of his who had gotten rent free on Avenue A due to the guy who owns the place knowing him. It was all nice. Great, even. Until they came back from a night out on the town, get told that his friend has to end up paying rent, and until then the power was cut.

That’s when it was all in hell. It was even smarter of him to come during winter. He’s smart. He promises.

However, he’s rethinking that considering he’s sitting on the table in his friends studio room, moonlight shining through the roof as he plays with the guitar he had found laying around.

“Mark, I’m off to go help with that rally thing down the block, you should come with.” He said, wrapping his signature scarf around his neck before grabbing his camera. 

Mark shrugged, placing the guitar on the ground, sitting up and looking his friends way. 

“Nah, I’d rather not freeze anymore than I have to, but thanks. Have fun with more tech junk!” Mark called into the darkness, hearing the door shut before he laid back down on the table, staring back up into the broken ceiling.

That’s when he heard a knock.

He groaned when he got up, heading over to the door slowly, clearing his throat once he was met with the sliding metal door.

“What’d you forget now?” He huffed out before his gaze was met with a woman, a few heads or so shorter than him, even in heels, wearing a revealing top with matching shorts. She seemed.. Familiar.

“Got a light?” She questioned softly, holding out a candle stick, her whole frame shaking.

Mark moved out of her way as she pushed herself in before he slid the door shut behind her.

“I know you, you’re..” He trailed off, trying to put his finger on a name as the girl leaned against the wall near the door, still holding the stick of wax. That’s when he took more priority on the shivering.

“You’re shivering.” He stated, reaching out to try and take the candle so he could not only light it, but try to find her a jacket no one wouldn’t mind missing. She practically flinched away, scoffing as she stepped back, cupping the candle in her hand again.

“It’s nothing, they just turned off my heat, and I’m a bit weak. Would you light my candle?” She asked again, holding the wax out for him to possibly hurry up and light. If she had come to play games, she would have dressed for the occasion. She took in the man’s appearance. Red flannel. Black hair. Glasses. Slight facial hair. After the mental checklist, she’s realized he too had been looking.

“What’re you starin’ at?” She questioned, her hand with the candle falling to her side as she scoffed once again, free hand balled up and on her hip, still shaking. 

Mark shook it off before looking up to meet her gaze again as he shoved his hand into his pockets, quickly feeling around for the tiny matchbox. It’d become a habit since the power went. He finally pulled the box out, looking at the few matches he had left, clearing his throat again as he struck it to the red spot on the box.

“Nothing, your hair in the moonlight.” He spoke quick, but casual. Good lord what would his friend say if he had told him he let a complete stranger in? 

Mark blew out the match before speaking again.

“You look familiar. Very familiar.” He stated, pushing the matches back into the pocket he found them, watching the girl nod before turning carefully, making her way back to the door before placing a hand onto the wall to balance herself, it seems.

“Can you make it?” He asked, a hand instinctively hovering over her waist. He’s seen her before, he’s more than sure of it. The girl turned around quickly, glaring up at Mark as if he’s offended her.

“Just haven’t eaten much today. At least the room stopped spinning..” She trailed off before leaning up against the wall she had almost fallen into.

Mark rose a brow and tried to figure out where the hell he had seen her from. The girl was smiling. Then it all clicked.

“What?” She snapped, getting tired of his very intense stares in the midst of their conversation. Mark smiled sheepishly before stepping back to give her some space, his back facing her.

“Nothing. Your smile reminded me of-” He was cut off by the girl who had rushed in front of him now, most likely taking her turn to look him over again. To her, he did look attractive, but considering he’s most likely taken, more than anything.

“I always remind people of.. Who is she?” She questioned, now moving on to the table to take a seat, her back turned to him now.

“She uh, died. Her name was April.” Mark stated. In a flash the girl had blown out her candle, holding it out from behind her.

“It’s out again, and sorry about your friend..” She said softly, turning around to walk over to Mark as he fished out his matches again. He wouldn’t mind wasting his last box on her.

Mark shrugged as the girl had asked to have her candle lit again, carefully lighting it for the second time tonight. He smiled up at her and pushed the box into his pocket once again.

“Well..” Mark trailed off, not knowing how to continue the conversation. The girl stepped a bit closer to him before she hissed and let out a soft yelp of pain.

“Oh! The wax, it’s-” 

“Dripping! I like it between my..” She started pressing her leg up in between his as she spoke. If there was a line to cross, consider it far behind them now.

“Fingers! I figured.” Mark spoke quick, wiping the dripping wax off of the girl’s fingers before taking a few steps back from her, clearing his throat after wiping the now dried wax on his jeans.

“Oh, well, g’night.” He said firmly, gesturing to the door. She rose a brow before quickly making her way to the door. 

She knew she’d pushed a boundary that she shouldn’t have crossed, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t try, right? She was going to leave him alone, that is until she couldn’t find the stash she had just gotten before making the trip up to the damn room.

The girl sighed before banging on the door again, being met with Mark, now with his hair messy.

“It blew out again?” He asked, leaning against the frame before the girl quickly shoved past him, bending over to look at the floor.

“No, I think that I dropped my stash..” She mumbled, falling onto her hands and knees now. 

Christ, she’s determined.

Mark shrugged off what the girl had been looking for, going back to the notion that he’s seen her somewhere on this hell trip.

“I know I’ve seen you out and about- Y’know. When I went out.” Mark said, slowly moving his hands into his pockets as he watched her crawl on the somewhat dirty floor.

He noticed the candle stick. It wasn’t lit.

“Your candle’s out.”

She rolled her eyes, getting back up to walk over to the table Mark was laying on before she had made her entrance. 

“I was illin’ and I had it when I walked in the door. It was pure!” She huffed, running a hand through her short hair before mumbling to herself once again, getting on her hands and knees. 

“Is it on the floor..?” Mark rose a brow before walking over to the table again, pulling a hand out  
of his pocket to balance himself on the edge of the table as he leaned down slightly to at least try and help the girl out.

“Uh.. the floor?” His confusion was evident, and she noticed it.

“Y’know.. They say that I have the best ass below 14th street, is it true?” She questioned with a seductive tone, sticking her ass in the air even more so. She was flirting. Never get the chance to do that with some hot guy, huh? 

Mark would have lost his cool if he still had any of it left. He sputtered before stepping back from the girls ass that was still in the air before he mumbled out a faint what in response, almost falling into the table.

“You were staring again!” She exclaimed, slowly getting up as she made sure to keep her ass out. She had to win.

“God no! I mean- You do have a nice-” Mark started before cutting himself off to clear his throat and move on to a new topic that he can’t seem to let go of.

“You look familiar.”

“Like your dead girlfriend!” She snapped back, tugging her shirt down before making her way past him.

“She wasn’t a girlfriend, trust me. Just- I’m sure I’ve seen you somewhere else.” He stated, turning around to sit up on the edge of the table. The girl moved over to the vacant spot where his buddy’s couch had once been, looking around to be sure she didn’t miss a thing. Yet she responded without a beat.

“Do you go to The Cat Scratch Club? That’s where I just so happen to work.. I, uh, dance.” She said, smiling faintly before she slid over to reach his leg to swat at his knee.

“Help me look!”

That’s when it all finally clicked for Mark.

He remembered most of the night. After all those shots he had downed, he’s still shocked he had remembered that smile. It was the light in the dark club he had been navigating. How could he possibly end up forgetting?

Mark shook off the feeling, making his heart speed up. Starting to swoon over a chick he literally just met? Insane. He shrugged off the thought before moving over to the area she was searching to go help.

“Yeah.. that night they tied you up?” Mark said slowly, trying to be sure he had the right girl. She nodded and let out a soft laugh, shrugging and throwing a smile his way before feeling around under the coffee table she had moved to.

“It’s a living.” She huffed as she got back up onto her knees, not finding anything but some lint and a quarter.

“I didn’t recognize ya without the handcuffs.” Mark joked, letting out a faint snort what he had said before he moved over to one of the fold up chairs that was closer to the door. The girl just scoffed and moved on, shaking her head and hiding her smile from him as she moved on to the opposite end of the room.

After a brief few minutes of silence, she had sighed and got up again, causing Mark to quickly follow with the same actions.

“Y’know.. We could light the candle.” She stated moving over to the table, picking up the candlestick quickly, holding it out yet again like she had before.

Mark sighed as the girl moved closer to him and watched closely as he fished out the matchbox again. He carefully picked up the last match stick that had been in the box. He didn’t expect to get through thirty-two matches this quick. He struck it against the small red part of the box, causing the match to be lit.

“Why don’t you forget that stuff? You look like you’re seventeen..” Mark trailed off after the candle was lit again, blowing out the match before tossing it and the box onto the table. The girl scoffed before walking past him once again, starting to look under the table they first investigated for her stash.

“I’m twenty, excuse you. I’m just born to be bad.” She joked, jutting her hip out before smiling sweetly at him, getting back down onto the floor, continuing to look.

“I wish I was born to be bad.” Mark replied, moving over to the recliner that was diagonal from the table she was looking at. His mind had wandered over to his friend, April. She shook all the time, and used to sweat, kinda like this girl who just happened to waltz into the studio. He paused on his path to the recliner, turning around to look down at her.

“April used to shiver like that.” He stated, moving his hands to his pockets slowly, waiting for her reply. She grunted before moving out from under the table to glare at him.

“I have no heat, I told you.” She huffed, scooting to the edge, looking under it quickly before Mark pressed further.

“She used to sweat..” Mark trailed off, looking down at his sock clad feet, trying to find a point of interest. The girl hesitated and bit her lip, looking for a response before peeking back up at him.

“I’ve got a cold-” Mark cut her off before she finished.

“She used to be a junkie.” They held eye contact for a moment. Her hand was still shaking, not as bad as before. Mark slowly moved his hands out of his pockets, letting out a faint sigh.

“Look I know you mean well.. But now and then I like to, y’know. Feel good.” She explained before going back under. Mark scoffed before turning back around to the recliner. He spotted a small packet of.. Something.

“Would ya look at that..” He mumbled lowly, carefully picking it up and pocketing it. Clearly he wasn’t quiet enough.

“What was that?” The girl came out from the table swiftly, just barely missing the edge.

“It was just another matchbox..” Mark said, slowly sitting down in the recliner, shuddering at the cold leather.

The girl didn’t buy the lie. At all. She inched her way over to him, giving him another sweet smile.

“We could light the candle..” She gestured to his pocket. Fuck.

Mark chuckled and stood up. She was short, only made it up to his chest. He shook his head at her offer and blew it out, walking over to the table he was once sitting on.

“What’d you do to my candle?” She questioned, raising a brow. Mark shrugged as he slid back onto the top.

“That was my last match.” He stated, his hands resting behind him. He looked over at the girl who finally put down the stick, giving up on it completely. She sat next to him, hands in her lap, looking up at the moonlight through the roof as she crossed her ankles to swing them.

“Our eyes will adjust. Thank god for the moon.” She spoke softly. Her tone seemed content, for once in the entire interaction they’ve been having.

“Maybe it isn’t the moon at all?” Mark started before pulling one of his knees to his chest, now looking up at the night sky himself.

“Heard Spike Lee’s shootin’ down the street.” He finished, squinting a bit as the light reflected off of his glasses.

The girl nodded a bit before slowly scooting closer to him, letting out a small sniffle before laying her head on his shoulder.

“Bah humbug.” She responded, causing a faint chuckle to come from Mark, who smiled a bit before looking ahead of him as he felt her hands trail to his forearm. He shuddered.

“Cold hands.” He said, now looking down at his arm where her hands were. The girl quickly trailed her hand to his, gently lifting it up to examine it. Mark tilted his head at her actions.

“Yours too.. Big. Like my fathers.” She mumbled softly, gently tracing over his palm. Mark would be lying if he said he knew what was happening.

They sat there for a beat before suddenly the girl jumped off the table quickly, still holding his hand.

“Do you wanna dance?” She questioned, tugging Mark a bit along the way before slowly sliding off the table himself, slouching as he stood slightly.

“With you?” He asked playfully, raising a brow her way. The girl scoffed before letting go of his hand, giving him a very confused look.

“No, with my father.” She sassed back, placing a hand on her hip which caused Mark to laugh before he held his hand out again.

“I’m Mark.” He stated, smiling kindly her way before she returned it, letting out a faint breath once they started to sway after she guided his hands onto her waist respectively.

She leaned into Mark’s arms slightly, enjoying the warmth that he was giving off. Sadly, that had to be cut short. She slowly trailed her hands to his hips where his pockets were located, slowly dipping one hand in the right side, hoping to find the small baggie.

“They call me.. Y/N.” She said, grinning widely in Mark’s direction as she pulled away quickly, holding the baggie in his face to show off her victory before Mark let out a soft huff, trying to grab it from her. Y/N only jumped back, giggling before grabbing the candle stick.

“See ya around, Mark.” She spoke quickly, knowing he would try to take it back in order to keep her from doing what she intended after she got her candle lit for some extra warmth, for she hadn’t been lying about the heat being turned off.

Y/N rushed out before Mark could get another word in before the metal door clanged open and then clanged shut.

He sighed quietly to himself before trudging over to the table once again, slowly climbing back on top of it to lay back and look at the moon, just like before.

“What the hell just happened?” Mark mumbled to himself after a few moments of silence to collect his thoughts.

He had to find Y/N again somehow. Whether he light her candle again, or not.


End file.
